Valentine Folly
by Lord Cynic
Summary: Typical generic, over the top fluff. Meant to take place during the anime slash manga, if possible. Valentine's Day rears its head again, but when a certain Cardcaptor falls ill, what will happen, I wonder?


**Captain Corny on a Cob.: **"Is it safe?" _(looks around) _"Yeah, should be." _(looks at the bewildered crowd)_ "Uh, yeah, it's really me, Cynic. This is who I transform into on a fluffy blue moon." _(points at his costume) _"Anyways, howdy. I know, I know, another one-shot without an update. I kinda can't help it, motivation is a fickle thing. I've wondered for months if I'm better off writing one-shots and leaving chaptered pieces for really special cases. However, that's just being foolish. Don't worry, if I update, you'll be the first to know. Ahahaha… yeah, that was sorta obvious.

But, down to business. As you can probably tell from the summary, I tried to situate this during the manga slash anime. I don't think I see many, if any, non-AU SyaoranSakura fanfics. Kinda depressing after a while… not to say there haven't been good pieces, not at all. Maybe it's easier to write the characters as teenagers? Maybe. Personally, I prefer them as grade schoolers, simply because of two words: Naïve love. That is so much fun to read and write. Poor people go from chapter to chapter trying to confess their love to each other, only to be impeded by countless obstacles. Huh… kinda sounds like my first Golden Sun fanfic. Go figure.

Anyways, without further ado, here you go. I will write another fanfic before my break takes full effect, just to lay down news to those who don't read my profile. However, I digress. Let's get this monstrosity underway."

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**Captain Corny on a Cob: **"I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura. CLAMP does, and a fine job they do, too. I just got Tsubasa Chronicle volume 1 recently, very reminiscent in a sense…"_ (trails off aimlessly)_

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_**Valentine Folly**_

The sun rose on the town of Tomoeda, where conflict was minimal (except for rampaging Clow Cards) and everything was usually hunky dory. Birds whistled blissfully from their nests and early morning joggers were having their daily workout in the crisp, clear weather. The peace and tranquillity rang through the town like a hushed, harmonious melody.

"Ah-choo! Ah-choo! AH-CHOO!"

Albeit for the Kinomoto house, and a young, auburn-haired girl in particular.

* * *

"It sounds like Sakura's sick this morning," Fujitaka commented as he fried eggs on the stove in the kitchen. A semi-permanent, tender smile was plastered on his docile face as he tended to his cooking.

"Either that or the monster has a lot of people talking about her," Touya, Fujitaka's son, retorted as he flapped open the morning newspaper and read it in the dining room, standing up.

"It's not nice to call your sister that, you know," Fujitaka said good-naturedly as the eggs bubbled in the pan.

Touya shrugged dismissively. "I doubt she heard me, anyway. The way she is, though, if she thought that you suspected she was sick, she'd put on a huge act to convince you otherwise. It wouldn't be the first time." He frowned, remembering the previous times Sakura had gotten sick and tried to put on a brave act that never would've worked in a century.

"She'd just be worried about causing me trouble. She's always been like that," Fujitaka replied, sliding the newly fried eggs from the pan onto three separate plates.

"I guess," came Touya's short response. He peered over the top of his newspaper to the staircase, which leads to their bedrooms.

Fujitaka chuckled softly and began to make waffles to accompany the fried eggs.

* * *

"You've caught the bug, eh, kiddo?" Kero asked, looking up at Sakura from his bed in one of her dresser drawers.

Sakura smiled in response and sniffled slightly as she prepared for school. "It's no biggie. I still have to get to school today." She started fumbling with her school bag and collecting her books.

Kero frowned. "Not the way you're lookin'. You don't even realise you're using a sock to tie your hair together." He pointed to the top of her head; where a sock indeed took refuge in one of her locks.

"H-Huh?" Sakura wandered over to her mirror, and her eyes widened in horror. "HOE!" She started fiddling with the stranded item of footwear lodged in her hair as Kero shook his head and shrugged helplessly. Eventually, Sakura tripped over one of her stray shoes and fell backwards onto her bed.

"See what I mean? Maybe you should stay in bed," he suggested, folding his arms and watching Sakura jump off her bed and rush around the room desperately.

"I'm all right, really," she assured her miniature guardian. "There's nothing to worry -"

"Hey, are you okay in there?" the deep, masculine voice belonging to Sakura's brother called from the stairs. "You must really be sick; you're starting to talk to yourself. Better be careful, we wouldn't want you falling out of your window, now," he remarked in the same snide tone he used when taunting her.

"Don't be mean, Tou - ah-choo!" Sakura sniffled again as Kero's eyes widened in terror.

"Uh-oh!" Out of practice, Kero fell limp on Sakura's dresser table as Touya opened the door cautiously.

The taller young man peeked his head through the door. "You're sick again, aren't you, squirt?" he stated rather than asked, although his voice possessed a softer, more compassionate tone than before.

Sakura smiled, despite the flushed complexion on her cheeks. She shook her head to try and contradict her brother's diagnosis. "Nope, I'm perfectly fine... ah-choo!"

Touya frowned sceptically. "Uh huh." He wandered into the room, ignoring Sakura's protests. Kero caught his eye immediately, and he raised an accusatory eyebrow. "Hey, that stuffed toy of yours looks different."

"E-Eh?" Sakura and Kero both sweatdropped awkwardly.

Touya approached the dresser table, staring at the sweating Kero intensely. He grimaced slightly. "Yeah... it kinda looks like it's riding a horse."

The sweatdrops immediately increased in size, especially on Sakura's end.

"O-Oh, really?" she squeaked nervously. Her heart thumped, hoping he wouldn't catch Kero out or else there'd be a lot of explaining to do.

Touya stared at Kero suspiciously, who struggled to maintain his absurd idle expression. Eventually, Touya shrugged, feigned ignorance and walked to the door. Sakura and Kero sighed inwardly with relief, grateful for the great escape.

"Well, if you're sure you're okay, you'd better hurry downstairs," Touya said, his back turned to Sakura. "Dad's cooking waffles and eggs."

"Okay!" Sakura smiled brightly, all remnants of her cold replaced by the bright glow on her face. She appeared as if she never had a fever at all.

Touya turned to face her, smiled slightly, departed the room and closed the door behind him. A muffled sneeze penetrated the door almost immediately afterwards, evaporating the smile and provoking a sigh from Touya as he descended the stairs.

* * *

Sakura and Kero listened intently for Touya's fading footsteps before exhaling deeply. Sakura glanced at Kero, who grins awkwardly and apologetically at the same time. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"My stealth techniques need a touch-up, do you think?" he asked rhetorically.

"At least we weren't caught out this time," Sakura said forgivingly. She sneezed and sniffled again before applying her usual beads to her hair.

"What's special about today, anyway?" Kero enquired, the question having bugged him for a short while.

"Oh, well, do you know what day today is?" Sakura answered, deliberately facing the closet.

"Uh..." Kero looked around for a calendar. He looked at it, and then grinned. "Oh, February 14th! What about it?"

Sakura refused to answer, and instead was still facing the closet, albeit with a considerable blush painted across her face. Kero caught onto her reaction and grinned sneakily.

"Oh, I get it! Valentine's Day, right?" He grinned wider. "So who's the lover boy this year? That Yukito guy again?"

"Sorry, I gotta get going for school or I'm going to be late, bye!" Sakura said quickly, dashing out of the door and making unnecessary racket in the process.

"Hey! Don't forget me!" Kero cried, before the door slammed shut. His face drooped as he drifted onto Sakura's bed, disappointed that she'd missed giving him some sweets.

Suddenly, he detected a wrapped box on Sakura's pillow. Curious, he wandered over to it and discovered a note attached. He read it aloud. "'Happy Valentine's Day, Kero!' Oh, thank you, Sakura!" He ripped the wrapping off and dug into the scrumptious delights. His grinned, his chubby cheeks full of chocolate. "Mmm, delicious!"

* * *

"Good morning!" announced Sakura cheerfully as she entered the dining room. "Morning, Mom!" she greeted routinely to the photo of Nadeshiko.

"Good morning," Fujitaka greeted her as he set the table with plates of fried eggs and waffles. The smell wafted through the air and delightfully entered Sakura's nose, causing her to smile enthusiastically as she sat at the table.

"Yum! It smells great, Dad!"

Fujitaka smiled appreciatively as Touya snorted.

"You took your time," he observed, leaning his arm on the table and resting his head on it as Fujitaka gave him his plate. He sneered across the table at his sister, who puffed her cheeks and pouted. Suddenly, she sneezed again.

"Excuse me," she mumbled abashedly.

Fujitaka glanced at her worriedly.

"You don't sound well, Sakura," he said, brows furrowing in concern. Sakura's obstinate streak took over for her.

"No, it's okay. I'm fit and raring to go!" She pumped her arm to prove her point, earning another snort from Touya.

"Careful or you'll be throwing a fit instead," he retorted.

"Hey!"

"Now, now, quit it, you two," Fujitaka scolded his son and daughter. Touya scoffed before digging into his meal, leaving Fujitaka to cast a concerned eye at his other offspring. "Sakura, are you sure you're okay to go to school?" he asked.

Contrary to Fujitaka's anxious expression, Sakura's face was brightened with a wide smile. "Uh huh! I wouldn't want to miss on Valentine's Day of all days! Oh, that reminds me!" She rummaged through her bag for wrapped boxes. Finding what she was looking for, she presented them to her family members. "Dad, Touya, happy Valentine's day!"

Fujitaka's soft frown instantly transformed in to a serene smile upon receiving his gift from his daughter. "Thank you, Sakura," he said, accepting his chocolates.

Touya, on the other hand, was more cautious with his gift.

"Are you sure it's safe?" he asked, poking his box with a fork.

"Hey!" Sakura cried, insulted by Touya's insensitivity.

Touya's face changed into a smirk, but a grateful one. "Thanks, squirt."

"You'd better hurry and eat, Sakura. I think you're nearly late," Fujitaka commented, looking at the clock.

"Eh?" the brown-haired girl glanced at the time, and her eyes widened. "HOE!" She shoved the rest of her breakfast in her mouth (to the disgust of Touya) and then rushed to the door. "See you later!" she called before departing the house.

Fujitaka and Touya stared after her, astounded by the speed of her departure, until a barely audible sneeze from outside caused their faces to wrinkle in hesitant frowns.

* * *

Class 2 of the fifth grade of Tomoeda Elementary School buzzed with typical embarrassed energy. Faces blazed at alarming rates, and emotions and gifts were exchanged through trembling hands. Some of the few people not actively participating were gathered around Syaoran's desk. Syaoran himself was looking mildly out-of-place among the heightened giddiness, provoking Eriol and Tomoyo to lightly poke fun at him.

"C'mon, Li. Show us how many you got," Eriol insisted, nudging Syaoran chummily. Syaoran frowned for more than one reason.

"How many what?" he asked, looking increasingly more uncomfortable by the second.

"Chocolates, of course!" Tomoyo answered, smiling at the brown-haired boy eagerly. Syaoran, for his part, wasn't having any of it.

"None at all!" he yelled in frustration. He realised that his desk was starting to bulge precariously and promptly slammed his crossed arms onto it firmly.

"Oh, I get it," Eriol said understandingly. "Non-seeing is non-believing. Quite insightful," he commented sagely, crossing his arms and nodding.

Syaoran scowled, but was denied a rebuttal when Takashi practically popped out of thin air. His index finger was raised in typical "Takashi myth" mode, causing his friend to groan.

"The ancient philosophy of seeing is believing dates back to the time of witchcraft!" he recited as if he was reading out of an encyclopaedia. "Back then, it was common for peasants and noblemen alike to imagine they saw ghosts and spectres of their deceased relatives. Of course, to admit such an unholy act was witchcraft itself, so to do so meant certain death or eternal misfor -"

"The only misfortune would be if anyone actually believes that story," Chiharu chided him, after bopping him on the head to cease his "lies". Syaoran wondered what had taken her so long, but pushed it aside almost immediately. His mind was on other things… and people.

"That's actually quite a common folktale in my town back in England," Eriol commented, smiling knowledgably. "I remember when my late father used to tell me how my ancestors often saw ghostly visions of loved ones passed away. Quite a tragic but touching story, as well as an intriguing fact."

The reaction to Eriol's response was tried and true. Tomoyo smiled pleasantly, knowing that Eriol and Takashi were messing around. Syaoran and Chiharu, on the other hand, gawked at the chuckling boys, mouths agape in horror and disdain respectively. At that moment, a loud sneeze broke the awkward silence. Heads whipped around to the classroom door, which slid open lazily, permitting a dazed Sakura to amble into the room. The eyes of her friends widened considerably as hers drooped, the latter causing alarm in Syaoran especially.

"G... Good morning, everyone," she greeted everyone languidly. "Happy Valentine's Day!" She smiled weakly, showing immediate vulnerability.

"You don't look well, Sakura," Chiharu said worriedly. "Are you sure you should be here today?"

"Don't be silly," Sakura laughed, waving her hand as she joined the group around Syaoran's increasingly crowded desk space. "I managed to get all the way here, didn't I?"

_That's what I'm worried about_, Syaoran thought uneasily.

Tomoyo, on the other hand, couldn't resist hugging Sakura even as the emerald-eyed girl was looking wearier by the minute.

"Your strength and determination inspires hope in us all!" the photographer declared, eyes turning into stars, making Syaoran and Chiharu sweatdrop.

"C'mon, Tomoyo, it's not that big of a deal," Sakura said, blushing with embarrassment as her friend continued to hug her like a stuffed animal.

Syaoran's eye twitched and he stood up in his seat menacingly. Sakura gulped under his intense glare.

"It is when you walk all the way to school with a cold!" the boy yelled, quite frustrated at the girl's obstinacy and her friend's frivolity. Sakura squeaked nervously, but Tomoyo seemed not to notice Syaoran's outburst, as her wide smile seemed to suggest.

"Well, she's here now," Eriol said, breaking the somewhat awkward silence. Syaoran stared at him in disbelief, but the spectacled boy was undeterred. "There's no use worrying about it now," he concluded.

"Don't you worry about anything?" Syaoran muttered, sitting back down heavily.

"You know, there's a perfect remedy for your symptoms," Takashi chimed in, having recovered from Chiharu's physical sedative.

Tomoyo recognised the glint in Takashi's eye, so she decided to play along. "What's that?"

"Butterscotch and wheat tea!" Takashi announced.

"What?" That was Syaoran and Chiharu.

"Hoe? Ah-choo!" That was Sakura.

"That's right!" Takashi continued. Chiharu shook her head exasperatedly as he began to blurt out another myth. "Butterscotch and wheat tea was a widely known tradition during the Medieval ages. In fact, it was so popular that merchants toiled day and day to travel far and wide and supply kingdoms and villages with these crucial and treasured ingredients. However, horrible weather would often hinder their journeys, and when they got particularly brutal, many people suffered gangrene complexions..."

"Okay, that's enough out of you," Chiharu snapped, finally shoving Takashi out of the way as two more girls approached the group.

"Yamazaki was telling another tall tale, wasn't he?" Rika asked rhetorically. A few people noticed her cheeks were stained with light pink tinges.

Chiharu sighed and threw up her hands. "Unfortunately."

"At least he didn't say anything when you gave him the chocolates, right?" Naoko remarked, tailing behind Rika. Her glasses gleamed with light-hearted mischief.

Chiharu sweatdropped. "Er, yeah."

"Oh, you gave him chocolates, Chiharu?" Sakura asked excitedly. Chiharu laughed nervously, trying to sway the subject from her and her pseudo-boyfriend. Rika, on the other hand, noticed Sakura's presence at last.

"Oh, good morning, Sakura!" she greeted with a friendly smile.

"Good morning!" Sakura replied, before sneezing again.

Naoko frowned slightly. "You've got a cold, Sakura?"

"It's okay, I'm fine," Sakura insisted. Syaoran's eye twitched again in agitation, provoking mysterious smiles from Tomoyo and Eriol. However, Sakura appeared not to notice as she addressed Rika. "Ah, did you give your special person some chocolates, Rika?"

Rika blushed hotly, causing Naoko to grin and fill in the details.

"I had to stay with her long enough to make sure she gave them to him," the bespectacled girl explained, winking at Rika.

"Naoko!"

Everyone but Rika and Syaoran laughed at Rika's embarrassment. The former pouted but discreetly glanced at her Valentine, and developed an odd fluttering sensation in her stomach when she saw him eating her chocolate with delight. The latter, meanwhile, was watching Sakura sternly, his eyes narrowing with concern at the gradually increasing pale complexion on her face. His bulging desk, long neglected, became but a trivial matter as he realises she was about to faint.

"Sakura!" he jumped out of his seat and caught Sakura before she could knock her head onto a desk and develop a concussion to accompany her fever.

Tomoyo placed a hand on her best friend's forehead. "Oh dear, you're burning up!"

"Oh no!" Rika cried worriedly.

"I think you best go back home, Miss Sakura," Eriol advised Sakura sternly.

"But I -" Sakura protested, but was sharply cut off by Syaoran, who was still supporting her despite the heavy blush across his face. If the situation weren't so serious, everyone would've laughed at the pair of tomato faces.

"You're in no condition to be out of bed, let alone here at school," Syaoran scolded the girl in her arms. "You're going home to rest."

Sakura finally submitted to Syaoran's insistent tone. That, and she was feeling extremely tired all of a sudden. "Oh... okay. Ah-choo!"

"I take it you'll be taking her home then, Li?" Eriol half-declared.

"Huh?" If possible, Syaoran's blush grew even darker.

"You wouldn't mind, right?" Tomoyo asked, smiling expectantly. "Rika can just tell Mr Terada what's going on. He'll believe her."

"Hey -" Rika began, but she was cut off before she could protest.

"Well, if I have to go home, I guess I'd better give everyone their chocolates, first," Sakura decided slowly. She unzipped her bag and extracted the wrapped chocolates. She gave them to most of her friends, but left one stashed away. Everyone swiftly noticed that Syaoran was the odd one out and stared at him. He glanced at each of them nervously.

"What?" he asked, hitching his bag onto his back. "Come on, Sakura. We'd better hurry and get you home."

Sakura detected the somewhat sombre tone in Syaoran's voice and a particle of disappointment in his otherwise stoic face, and she immediately felt a guilty feeling in her stomach. She sneezed again, and then adjusted her back on her back and followed Syaoran to the door.

"Sorry, everyone," she apologised, turning back to bow.

"Just get better, okay?" Rika requested, smiling.

"Mmm."

"Treat her well, Syaoran!" Takashi cheered, mouth full of chocolate. "That's the least we can do for these chocolates!"

Chiharu bopped Takashi on the head, an irritated scowl on her face as she unclenched her fist. "You are so tactless!"

Syaoran's posture didn't change at Takashi's comment, and he opened the door and led Sakura out. She stared at the back of him miserably before following his retreating form out of the school, leaving everyone to watch after them thoughtfully.

"Do you think they'll be all right?" Naoko asked anxiously.

"I'm sure of it," Eriol replied confidently, blue eyes twinkling between his spectacles.

"They are Sakura and Li, after all," Tomoyo agreed with a serene smile in her face.

* * *

Syaoran and Sakura walked side-by-side slowly along the footpath, both deep in contemplation. An unintentional, but nonetheless tense silence had developed between them as they battled with the demons of their thoughts. However, the fact simply was that they just don't know what to say to each other.

_I know I haven't given anything to Syaoran yet. But, I feel as if I'll have the perfect chance later today, _Sakura thought, unconsciously glancing at the boy beside her every second step._ I want to give him his gift as a token of thanks for everything he's done to help me. I hope he'll accept it when I finally do give it to him. _She smiled warmly, closed her eyes and placed her hands over her heart, imagining his reaction.

Alongside her, Syaoran's eyes were narrowed and a frown was painted across his face. However, rather than it being a sour one like he usually had, it was more pensive, and rather remorseful.

_I wonder why she hasn't given me anything. I guess it's expected, though. I wasn't exactly the nicest person when I first transferred to Tomoeda, after all. Now that I think about it, if I hadn't met Sakura, I'd probably still be the way I used to. Sakura... my feelings for her grew so dramatically and so quickly. Why, though? Why do I feel this way?_

"Um, Syaoran?"

Syaoran was knocked out of his reverie by the girl's sweet voice, and he turned to her instinctively.

"Huh? What is it?"

"We're here." Sakura pointed to her house like it was the simplest thing in the world to miss – which Syaoran had. He blushed accordingly.

"Oh!" He cleared his throat and willed the blood in his cheeks to subside. "So, will you be okay without me?" The blush gradually rose back to his face as his mind explored the implications of his words.

Fortunately for him, Sakura was too naïve to notice Syaoran getting unnecessarily flustered. Then again, it might've been because her fever was resurfacing.

"Mmm." She sneezed, and then smiled apologetically. "Excuse me."

"Let me help you inside," Syaoran offered before he could stop himself. He couldn't understand why, but he felt it was his duty to ensure that Sakura recover as soon as possible.

"O-Okay." Sakura agreed, starting to wobble on her feet. She laughed absurdly, then a serene albeit tired smile grew on her face "I guess I'm pretty lucky," she admitted.

Syaoran held her shoulders to try and keep her steady. "What do you mean?"

"Well, whenever I need advice, comfort, or help of any kind, there's always been someone there for me," Sakura explained, although her stamina was leaving her.

Syaoran, for his part, was silent. He wondered what else she had to say, and was also keeping a close eye on her condition, as he'd sensed that she was growing weaker by the minute.

"You know, I..." The girl's eyes closed, and she began to fall forwards, her energy near depleted.

"Sakura!" For the second time, Syaoran caught her before her head made contact with something capable of giving her much worse than a fever.

"Syaoran... ?" Sakura stared right Syaoran, her eyes opening but glazed as if in a trance. Her cheeks were flushed pink, the effects of the fever that was preventing her from being her usual cheery self.

Syaoran noticed her lack of energy immediately, but blanched and blushed under her intense stare. "Um, let's get you inside," he said, hoisting Sakura to her feet.

"Uh... huh," came the soft-spoken reply. She was definitely too tired to utter anything else.

Eyes furrowed with concern, Syaoran half-carried Sakura inside, trying to ignore the rapidly darkening blush on his face. Quickly, he guided her to a sofa and lowered her onto it. His eyes darted around for something to warm her up with, until he remembered that he was wearing a coat. He gulped nervously, but took it off and covered Sakura with it.

"Oh, thank you," Sakura said gratefully, before sneezing.

"Don't mention it," Syaoran said, looking away awkwardly. "Can I make you something to eat, or something to drink?" he asked, quickly changing the subject.

"I'll... be... all... right..." Sakura slowly drifted to sleep, her breathing slow and steady.

Syaoran sighed softly, and then smiled at Sakura's sleeping form. He left her to search for a quilt, and quickly found one in a closet. He swiftly returned to her and draped it over her carefully, so that she wouldn't get cold and thus her condition wouldn't worsen. He realised that her face was extremely flushed from heat (not unlike his own but for different reasons), so he went into the kitchen and moistened a cloth. He returned to Sakura and placed the cloth on her forehead to try and lower her temperature. After a moment, he returned to the kitchen and began looking for something to cook.

* * *

An inviting scent wafted from the kitchen to where Sakura was dozing. It teased her senses and caused a small smile to unconsciously spread across her face.

"Mmm, something smells good," she murmured, rolling over – onto the floor. She woke up with a start and opened her eyes. "Hmm?" She sat up, and noticed that a damp cloth was in her lap. A quilt was also covering half of her body, and Syaoran's coat was somewhere among the mess. "Hoe?" she looked around, slightly unsettled by the silence and emptiness of the room. "Syaoran?"

"Coming!" came the call from the kitchen. As soon as he had spoken, Syaoran walked into the room with a tray of food: a bowl of rice and chicken soup, a plate of takoyaki balls and a glass of juice. "I thought you'd be hungry when you woke up," Syaoran suggested, setting the tray onto the table in front of Sakura.

Upon being presented with Syaoran's cooked meal, Sakura clapped her hands and smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, Syaoran!" She ate a spoonful of the soup, and her smile widened instantly. "Oh wow, this is delicious! I didn't know you could cook like this!"

Syaoran blushed and diverted her gaze elsewhere, an increasingly consistent reaction to the auburn-haired girl's praise. "Well, I had to learn, since I do live by myself." He ventured a look at her and smiled. "I'm glad you like it."

"Mmm!" Sakura sneezed abruptly – and spurted the fresh spoon of bowl all over Syaoran's shirt. "Oh no!"

"Gah!" the boy yelped stepping back impulsively as the rice and chicken dripped down his front.

"I'm so sorry!" Sakura apologised, looking for something to wipe the mess up with. Her – and his – hand touched his coat, and they promptly withdrew, faces blushing messes. "Oh, well, um…"

"It's okay. As long as it wasn't the bowl itself," Syaoran reasoned, waving his hand and trying to ease the discomfort.

Sakura giggled and smiled. "Thank you."

Syaoran frowned sceptically. "For what?"

"For taking care of me, of course," his respondent answered promptly.

"I'm doing nothing anyone else wouldn't do," Syaoran replied, blushing yet again.

"That's true," Sakura pondered, but a lightbulb flashed above her head and she smiled vibrantly. "But, it's how you do it. I can see you don't consider me a burden."

Syaoran remained silent in case Sakura intended to elaborate, but his face wore an incredibly incredulous expression nonetheless.

Sakura took the boy's somewhat bewildered cue and explained her meaning. "I know you've told me that you feel like you never do anything for me, but that's not true at all. I've always felt more comfortable when you've been there with me. To tell you the truth," she admitted tentatively, "I don't think I'd be where I am today without you... and everyone else."

Syaoran's eyes had widened briefly, but soon narrowed slightly into his casual stoic expression, albeit one softer than usual "You're welcome."

Sakura smiled again, and then continues eating in silence while Syaoran diverted his gaze to anywhere else but her. He was still processing Sakura's words, and his fists tightened as he sat idly. His eyes became almost distant in thought, and he took a while to register Sakura calling him.

"Hoe?" she piped up. "Syaoran? What's wrong?"

Syaoran blanched slightly. "Oh, er..." He racked his brain for an explanation, and his mind fell on one of his less-preferred topics. "Where's the stuffed animal?"

"Kero? I think he's in my room," Sakura answered, looking towards her room.

"Yes! I am Battle Beast Champion! Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Who's the bear? Who's the bear? Am I good or what?"

Kero danced his happy dance, which was almost as absurd as his appearance. He felt on top of the world for completing (in his mind) one of the most difficult video games to date. Spinel would soon be eating his dust.

Meanwhile, the TV was flashing the words: "Rage On! Now it's time for Extreme Difficulty! Get ready!" When the electronic voice announced the hidden level, Kero halted in mid-jig and his jaw dropped.

"Noooooooo!"

"Did you hear that?" Syaoran said, frowning in confusion. Was it just his imagination, or was the "stuffed animal" in question wailing?

"Hoe?" Sakura looked up from the soup. She was halfway through it. "Hear what?" she asked innocently.

"Oh, nothing... I guess," Syaoran answered quickly. He looked at her. "Do you feel better?"

"Uh huh! Completely!" came the renewed response.

"I'm glad." Syaoran placed his hand on her forehead to ensure her recuperating condition. "I think your temperature's dropping, too." He suddenly retracted his hand. "Gah!" Flustered and face alight with a fierce blush, he placed his hand back on his lap.

Sakura laughed at the boy's reaction. "Yep, I definitely feel better," she whispered, beginning to dig in to the takoyaki balls.

Syaoran, on the other hand, was too busy fumbling his own words to hear hers. "I'll go now, if you don't need anything else," he said awkwardly, standing up and heading for the door.

"Oh, Syaoran?" Sakura tilted her head and stared at the back of the retreating magician boy.

Said boy halted in the door. "Yeah?" he asked, returning to the room.

"Thank you," Sakura whispered softly.

"You've already said that," Syaoran said, frowning slightly.

"I know," Sakura said quickly, "But... what I mean is, well, thanks for everything."

Syaoran smiled understanding, but then blanched when he heard the door open.

"Touya's home early," Sakura said, head tilted slightly again. "He must have been worried about me."

"I'm home!" Touya's voice called from the door. "Sakura, I heard that -" Suddenly, he froze in the doorway. He pointed at Syaoran with a scowl on his face. "You!"

Syaoran didn't reply, but instead returned the angry glare at the older and taller young man. Sakura looked frantically between the two, a takoyaki ball in her mouth and her mind racing.

"Oh, Syaoran's here?" Yukito walked casually into the room behind Touya. He sidestepped his friend, who was trying to crush Syaoran under his 'almighty' glare and looked at Sakura. Despite the worried look on her face, she looked perfectly fine. "I see Sakura's looking well. Thank you for looking after her, Syaoran," Yukito said at the younger boy.

Syaoran, upon hearing Sakura's disguised guardian's thanks, halted the staring contest to smile appreciatively at Yukito. Touya, on the other hand, huffed, crossed his arms and grunted. Sakura sighed in relief that no conflict would ensue, and her brother reluctantly relaxed and smiled ever so slightly.

* * *

That night, Sakura walks Syaoran to the front of her house. The former was back to her energetic self (as Touya had no hesitation in telling Yukito while the kids were outside), which the latter was infinitely grateful for. They stepped out to the mailbox so that the girl could see the boy off. However, she was hesitant in letting him leave by himself.

Will you be okay going home?" she asked anxiously.

Syaoran smiled at her concern. "Yeah. I doubt your brother would appreciate you walking back alone just for a brat like me." He grimaced at the thought.

Sakura seemed to take Syaoran's comment about her brother in her stride. "Oh, okay." She paused for a moment, but before Syaoran could say something, another lightbulb flashed in her mind. "I almost forgot something! I'll be right back, Syaoran!"

She dashed into the house, leaving Syaoran to stare after her, stunned slightly by her sudden departure. However, she quickly reappeared, further unsettling him. There was something behind her back, but he tried to disregard it.

"I hope you won't be made that I gave this to you late," Sakura said tentatively, the item behind her back now held in slightly trembling hands.

"What is it?" Syaoran asked, frowning inquisitively.

Sakura smiled coyly and presented Syaoran with specially wrapped chocolate. "I knew you didn't want to feel left out, after all," she said, smiling behind a faint blush.

Syaoran's blush matched – and then succeeded – her tone. "Oh - thank you," he uttered nervously, accepting the gift.

Sakura smiled. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, tomorrow," Syaoran concurred, smiling back and his hands clutching the chocolate tenderly.

Sakura walked back inside, leaving Syaoran alone. He made sure that no one was watching, and then extracted a box of chocolates and an envelope from his bag. He considered whether to attach the envelope, but then decided to do so. After checking the street again, he determinedly dropped the box with the envelope into the mailbox and walked back to his own house, Sakura's chocolate tucked safely under his arm.

_**The End**_


End file.
